A birthday Surprise
by The Mother Rose
Summary: It's October 10th and Naruto is home for the festival he usually tries his best to miss. The villagers surprise him with a not entirely unexpected present.


**Author Notes:** Yes I know neither Sakura nor Sasuke live close by Naruto. No one does but yet most of the Genin know where Naruto lives so it is perfectly reasonable for them to stop by his place for one reason or another. And in the magna Sakura does stop by his apartment more than once for whatever reason she chooses.

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately I do not own Naruto ( or any other character int this story) I only wish I had created him before HE did.

A Birthday Surprise

"Naruto," screamed a voice from the sidewalk outside the weather-beaten door of a run-down apartment in the poorer section of town. "Get out here this instant!" The owner of the voice waited a moment before she began pounding on the door leaving small indentations in the soft wood from her fist.

"Sakura, calm down," said her teammate and friend.

"Ne Sasuke. If he's in there asleep the only way to get him up is by being loud. Naruto sleeps deep. Very deep," explained the pink-haired girl. "Mom said to get him to come with us to the festival and we can't leave here without him. Even Kakashi-sensei agreed with her and Mom and Kakashi-sensei don't agree on anything."

'Why is that anyway?" asked Sasuke, walking over to the large window and peeking inside.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's probably cause of those books he's always reading. Mom's real uptight about things like that. Do you see him in there?" She gave the door one more beating, screaming, "Naruto get your butt out here now."

"Sakura, I don't think he's in here at all. The whole place is dark. And there's no movement anywhere," said Sasuke. "Let's try someplace else." Sasuke was getting upset. He was talking way more than he liked and what was worse he was talking to the biggest most annoying girl in town.

"Hold up, Sasuke. Let me check it first. He might be hiding in a closet or something." She moved the siding near the door and pulled out the key from it's hiding spot. Then she opened the door and walked in.

"Sakura, you can't just go waltzing into someone's home uninvited," said Sasuke still standing on the doorstep.

"I do it all the time. Mom sends me here a lot to find out if he needs anything. That's how I know where the spare key is. I don't think Naruto even knows there is a spare key to his place."

"What do you mean if he needs anything?"

"Sasuke, Naruto has lived on his own since he was four or so. How do you think he's gotten by all these years? Mom and I do his laundry and try to make sure he has enough dishes and things like that."

"Since he was four? How does a four year old take care of themself? That doesn't make any sense. I thought he lived in the Orphanage until he started the academy."

"He did but something bad happened the year he was four and he ..." she broke off not sure how to explain things to Sasuke. For some reason he got very upset when he found things out about Naruto's past.

After a minute or so she continued, "I don't know what happened. Mom won't tell me but she says it was bad and he ended up in this apartment as well as starting at the academy then. The Third got him this place and into the academy. The Third made sure his rent and electric bills were paid and hired Mom, I think it was as a thank-you but since she won't tell me I don't know for sure, to make sure he had his clothes cleaned and the apartment also but Naruto showed her that he was perfectly capable of cleaning his own place up if he had the right supplies so now we just make sure he does." She glanced around the dark apartment before walking to the switch on the wall. She flipped the switch and a woosh was heard by both of Naruto's visitors. Sakura turned and ran knowing the whole time she wouldn't make it. A big orange fireball trimmed in blue lit up the horizon over the complex that had at one time been Naruto's home. All across the village people stopped what they were doing and stared in shock. From her office Tsunade screamed, "Shizune get me the emergency Anbu to the location that came from yesterday!"

"Yes, Tsunade. They're already on their way. Do you know where . . .?" But Tsunade was already gathering things together and barely heard her. She mumbled, "Gaki, you better be ok. I know that was your place. You better be ok."

"It was Naruto's place?" asked a frightened Shizune.

"Looks like it," answered Tsunade. "Let's go." She grabbed Shizune's hand and teleported both of them to the sidewalk outside what had once been Naruto's run-down apartment complex. A crowd had already gathered and some wore hopeful expressions but most were still in shock. Tsunade and Shizune fought their way through the crowd of people until they were standing on what was left of the doorstep.

Kakashi and Haruno Hotaru were both waiting for her. When she reached them she asked, "Do we know what happened yet?"

Both shook their heads before Kakashi answered, "Sakura and Sasuke were sent to bring Naruto to the festival. We figured this early in the day he'd still be here sleeping or something so we sent them to wake him up."

"Why would you try to make him go to the festival, Kakashi?" asked Shizune.

"It's his birthday and he's never once gotten to celebrate his birthday because of all the jerks in this village so Hotaru and I were going to make sure he got a treat today."

"Where are Sakura and Sasuke now?" Tsunade didn't see them standing anywhere near by.

"We don't know," whispered Hotaru. "They weren't here when we got here and I just don't know."

An Anbu officer walked over to the group and said, "I'm sorry Ma'am. Did I just hear that there were supposed to be three kids here this morning?"

"Yes." Tsunade took over and said, "Is there any chance they got away?"

The Anbu got very tense and looked to the ground. "Hokage Ma'am. There's no chance that anyone in or near this apartment when the explosion occurred survived the initial blast. We've only done a basic exam but it looks like someone placed a jutsu on the stove and the walls that would tie all the electricity together and cause a major surge to occur. The jutsu also caused the electric current to act as an ignitor so that when the gas from his stove hit the current the place would blow."

"But. . ." Hotaru said shakily. Then she whispered, "Why? My daughter... Where's my daughter?" She began to cry. Kakashi put his arms around her and led her out of the ruins of the apartment.

Tsunade was ticked. A vein in her forehead throbbed in time with the anger coursing through her. In a voice that matched the pulsing vein she said, "I want you to find out everything you can about this jutsu. Who used it? Who knows it? Everything! And I want you to find out for sure what happened to those three kids. As soon as you know anything there will be a report on my desk. I want to know what you know before you know it. Is that clear?"

"Yes Ma'am," replied the Anbu.

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At a nice shady spot on the outskirts of town a waterfall splashed it's way into a pool of sparkling water. In the pool a blond was floating on his back staring at the clouds that drifted by overhead. Just then there was a poof and two people popped into existence on the grassy bank.

Naruto looked over and, seeing his teammates, began to swim to shore. Once he got to where his feet could touch the ground he stood up and walked up out of the water. The sun gleamed on muscles he never displayed and sparkled in the golden hair that curled delightfully onto his forehead. He picked up his towel and dried most the water from his chest, neck and back before slinging it casually across his shoulders.

"Hi guys," he said as he reached them. "Since you found me here I have to assume you were both at my place and something happened there. So what was it this time?"

Sakura and Sasuke just stared at him. They were in complete and total shock. One minute they had been staring at each other processing the "woosh" they had both heard when she had hit the light switch on the wall and the next they were standing in a small slice of paradise. Their brains hadn't had time to catch up yet.

Naruto gave them time. He knew the teleport jutsu the fox had shown him how to put on his place would only kick in if the situation was dire. Life and death dire. And he knew neither of them were injured or the teleport would have dropped them off at the hospital. That's the way it was designed. So all he needed to do was wait for them to snap out of it and find out what the stupid village had tried to do to him this time.

Sakura collapsed on the ground and whispered, "Happy birthday Naruto." Then she began to laugh as tears rolled down her cheeks. Sasuke dropped beside her but he didn't laugh or cry. Only his eyes showed he felt the same way she did.

To himself Naruto said, "yeah Happy b-day to me. Whooppee!" He moved over to Sakura who was now holding her sides and put a hand on her forehead. "Fox, he said in his mind, can you put her to sleep through my hand and not permanently either?"

"**Yeah, yeah. Just keep your hand still and I'll do it. I'll put some nice image in that pea thing she calls a brain so she'll have a nice comforting dream." **A few moments later Sakura was spread out on the grass sound asleep. A gentle smile had replaced her tears and he knew the fox had indeed given her a pleasant dream. Beside her lay Sasuke also sleeping.

Naruto took an egg roll from his bag and ate it while he tried to regain the serenity he had felt before they had shown up. Funny how Sakura's presence could so easily destroy any sense of peace in his surroundings.

"**Hey Kit, you know you should probably get them out of here before they wake up don't you?"**

"How am I supposed to do that?" Naruto thought back.

"**Use that same jutsu that brought them here in the first place."**

"I don't remember the signs for it. And where do I teleport them to?"

"**I can show you the signs and I'd suggest you send them to a spot you know well. Like maybe the square in front of the tower or to the academy grounds. Either area should be clear today since it is that stupid festival thing to honor that Ahou."**

"Ok So I do the signs and then it'll transport them there? Without taking me there also?"

"**Just make sure you form their images clearly in your mind while making the signs and it will transport them to your chosen location. Usually teleportation jutsu's don't work without the host going to the new location but that's cause most people can't fully visualize their target location and the item they want to transport clear enough. So they hold onto the item that really needs to move and simply visualize where it should be. But since there are two of us I can handle the location or the humans you want to move for you."**

"Ok Fox. Let's move them to in front of the Hospital. That way they can be checked over just in case I missed something." Images flashed into his mind and his hands followed the images in the intricate forms of the jutsu while he kept a firm image of the hospital entrance in his mind. A blinding light filled the area and when it dispersed he was once again alone in the waterfall clearing.

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Around the village people were celebrating. For many there was now two reasons to celebrate. Not only could they cheer for the Yondaime who had fought a glorious battle with the demon all those years ago but they could celebrate the fact that they had finally gotten rid of the taint the battle had left on their good town. Even if the demon had survived the explosion with no place to live, surely he'd move to someone else's town now. But the Anbu squad leader had said clearly that there was no way anyone could have survived that blast. Either way was good for the village. The Demon child was no more.

But there were also those in the town that cried.Those who had personally known the three young people who they all believed had died that day did not feel like celebrating and they gathered together at the ramen stand Naruto had loved to comfort each other and mourn.Ichiraku made the ramen Naruto had loved best and his daughter, Ayame gave everyone a free bowl. Tsunade offered the toast with tears coursing down her face. "To Naruto, the best and brightest this town has ever known. To Sakura, my student and the daughter I never had and to Sasuke the last of his line. They were three children with great destinies they never got to fill. The next generation of Sannin that will never be." She scooped up a large amount of noodles with her chopsticks and put them in her mouth. Everyone followed her example. Just then a nurse sped into the stand. "Hokage-sama, Come quick. Sakura and Sasuke just showed up at the hospital," she said breathlessly.**"**

Every head in the place snapped in her direction as Tsunade said, "If you think this is something to joke about..."

The young woman shook her head desperately. "No Ma'am. I swear they really are at the hospital. They just popped up in front of the doors a few minutes ago. They're both asleep but they look to be unharmed. Please come see for yourself." She led the way out of Ichiraku's and back to the hospital. Everyone followed her into the hospital's waiting room in front of the reception desk. Hotaru Haruno saw her daughter asleep on a bed down the hallway and with a cry made her way to Sakura's side.

Across from her Sasuke was soundly sleeping on another bed. Kakashi stood next to him and looked for his third genin but no matter how hard he looked Naruto wasn't there. "Where's Naruto?" he asked a passing nurse.

Without thought she said, "The Demon hasn't shown up yet. Maybe he won't this year but if he does it won't be until after dark."

Her remarks trickled out to the waiting room and to the ears of Naruto's friends. Lee asked, "Guy-sensei? Why did she say that when Kakashi-sensei asked about Naruto?"

Guy looked at the other adults waiting with their own genin teams and at Kakashi standing rock-still with his hands balled into fists at his sides. "Some people can't see very well, Lee. They think anyone as bright and youthful as Naruto must be a demon because they themselves have forgotten how to be so youthful."

Lee said nothing more and the other adults thought it was a wonderful way to explain the unexplainable. They all knew there was more to it than that but they also knew it wasn't their place to tell his friends. Plus there was a certain ring of truth to his explanation. Anyone with eyes they really used could see Naruto was not a demon at all. Slowly everyone took a seat while they waited for Tsunade to tell them how Sakura and Sasuke were. After about an hour she came out and told them.

"Sakura and Sasuke are sleeping a natural sleep. There are some signs of stress in their brain-waves but I believe those will be gone when they wake up. They have no injuries from the explosion at Naruto's and that is most puzzling.Both their minds show signs of recent jutsus having been used and I can only assume they were teleported here under a jutsu. What I don't know is why the jutsu took so long to drop them off here at the hospital."

"But Forehead girl and Emo-kun are going to be alright, right?" asked Ino.

"Emo-kun?" Ino turned pink but kept quiet. "Ummm, yeah they're going to be just fine. I'll check them both again when they wake up and see if they remember seeing Naruto today."Tsunade turned and disappeared into the hospital as Kakashi came into the waiting room. His one eye looked over the gathering before he asked, "Does anyone know where Naruto would go if he had to be in town but didn't want to be seen?"

The gathered genin looked at each other and collectively shook their heads. Well most of them did. Hinata just gazed at the tiles of the floor while she pushed her forefingers together in her lap. Kurenai saw her and asked, "Hinata do you know where he might go?" Hinata glanced up at her sensei and gave a barely noticeable nod.

Kakashi walked to where the girl was sitting. He bent down and said gently, "Can you tell me or show me?"

Hesitantly, she said in a voice barely above a whisper, "I ppppromis..ed never to tttt. . ell anyone a a a...bbout it bbbbut iiif you like I can can can go see..ee if he's there."

"I'll go with you, Hinata," said her cousin Neji.

"No. I promised him..." she stuttered, panicked.Tenten stepped up and said, "We won't go all the way there with you. Just far enough to be sure you can check the spot without problems."

Kakashi said, "He needs to know his teammates are here and what happened to his apartment so we need to find him."

Guy asked, "What makes you think he's alive My Eternal Rival?"

"Simple really Guy. We know Sakura and Sasuke were both at Naruto's place when it exploded yet they are both here with no signs of any type of injury. If they survived why wouldn't Naruto have also?"

Everyone thought it over and then there was a mad rush for the entrance doors as each of his friends determined to be the one to find him. After all the genin had rushed off Kurenai said, "You do realize there is a chance that they weren't at his apartment at all don't you? It wouldn't be the first time someone was supposed to be with him only to admit later that they weren't."

Kakashi nodded but said, "I think they were though. Sakura's mother admitted she has taken care of Naruto's laundry and mending ever since The Third got him that apartment. She said she usually sends Sakura to pick it up for her and drop it off when it's clean and mended. Sakura may act like she doesn't like Naruto but taking care of him is a part of her daily life and one thing she won't readily do is make her mother angry."

The gathered jonins nodded at the logic. Kakashi continued, "Besides there is evidence in their brain-waves of two separate teleportation jutsus. That would tend to suggest they were teleported away from the blast and then teleported again to this location."

Asuma, the sensei of Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, said, "But how do we know that means Naruto is alive? It could just be that the first teleport was hooked to the explosion jutsu at the apartment to get any innocent by-stander away and teleported them to the location of the person who set the explosion jutsu in place. That person may be the one responsible for both teleport jutsu's but it doesn't mean Naruto is alive."

"True but I think that anyone who goes to that much trouble is not going to care if they catch an innocent in the blast. Especially when they can just say it's the fault of the Demon," sneered Kurenai. "We all know those idiots don't like anyone who associates with Naruto. They think he has cast some kind of a spell over all of us to keep us from seeing him for what he truly is and so they wouldn't care if their spell took one or more of us out as well."

Kakashi closed his eye for a minute. "Well, I believe the teleport jutsu was put in place by Naruto himself. He's known his danger in this village for a long time. I think he would have done something like this to give himself every possible chance at survival just to spite those idiots."

"WHAT!" screamed Guy. "Did you teach him a teleport jutsu? How would he know it?"

Kakashi just stared at the green-clad sensei. When Guy finally quit prancing around he said, "Guy he has a thousand year old demon living behind his naval. A demon that I think would be very upset over the idea of dying because his vessel was asleep and didn't see the attack coming, don't you? Who's to say how many jutsu's that demon knows and is willing to teach Naruto if it means they don't die?"

The rest of his companions thought it over and finally Asuma began to chuckle. "All this time we have been worried about his survival and what we should have been worried about was keeping up with his knowledge. It's likely that boy already knows enough to destroy us all where we stand. I wonder why he hasn't yet. This village has certainly given him enough reason to."

Silence fell over the gathered Jonins as they absorbed his words. From his position by the wall, Iruka spoke up for the first time. "You would know if you'd ever really gotten to know Naruto. He won't voluntarily learn anything from his room mate because he believes everything that the demon is willing to teach him comes with a price tag and that the price tag is too expensive. From what I've heard today I think I am more disappointed in all of you who call yourselves his protectors than I am in strangers who admit openly their hatred and bias.You each claim to care about him but yet you don't know him at all if you don't know such a basic thing as that about him." Iruka pushed off from the wall and walked out of the hospital leaving the stunned Jonin to think about what he had said.

They looked at each other and wondered what else they didn't know about Konoha's number one knuckle-headed most surprising ninja Kakashi finally broke the silence. "I do know he would never hurt this village willingly. It would take something very strong and powerful to make him give in to the demon enough for that to happen but what I have never understood is why. After all the crap he has put up with from this place why does he care so much? I mean I know there have been other attacks against him and he's alluded to things I never saw or heard of but yet we're still here. Not only that but the village still thrives and grows. It doesn't make sense."

Tsunade came in while he was talking and said, "Actually it does if you understand Naruto."

Beside her, Jiraiya said, "Naruto's heart is as big as his chakra pool and you all know how big that is. He forgives the villagers because they can't understand. They remember the loved ones his tenant killed and they can't get past them, to see him. He says it's not their fault. And with the mask he wears all the time, he doesn't blame people who don't know him as well as they should." Kakashi looked up, startled. "What Kakashi? Are you really going to try and tell me you didn't know?"

"No, I knew from the first day I met him as a genin. I just didn't know anyone else saw it."

"What kind of a Sannin would I be if I couldn't see that?" Jiraiya shouted. Tsunade slugged him in the arm muttering, "This is a hospital. Keep your voice down."

Kakashi just blinked before saying, "Then why haven't you convinced him to get rid of it yet?"

"Can I slug you?" Jiraiya asked. "You've been wearing a literal mask since you were younger than he is. Are you ready to take it off yet?" The gathered Jonins grinned and looked expectantly at Kakashi who grumbled, "It's not the same thing."

"Sure it is," answered Jiraiya. "We're ninja. We all have masks we wear to protect ourselves. We put them on at different stages of our lives and rarely do we ever remove them once we do. But every ninja wears a mask to hide that which can hurt them most."

"But his is hiding too much. His isn't just a cloth over the lower part of his face like mine. Everyone still knows I have a mouth and a jaw-line even though I have a mask on but Naruto's mask is much larger than mine. It covers everything about him all the time."

"Leave it alone Kakashi. Maybe someday he'll feel secure enough to take it off but after what he has seen and lived through I wouldn't count on it and honestly I'm not sure any of us would like who he is underneath the mask. That mask he wears allows him to be someone we don't feel threatened by, someone we can laugh at and feel better than but underneath it... I just don't know."

"I don't think it's in his best interest to let him hide so much. I won't try to make him take it all the way off but I will keep trying to make him show some of who he really is. It isn't healthy for a child his age to hide everything about themselves," Kakashi said stubbornly.

"Maybe not," Jiraiya agreed. "But before you go chipping away at his mask maybe you ought to think over how he would see every interaction he's ever had with you. Maybe it would be better to have someone who has never laughed at him, hurt him, mocked him or ignored him to do the chipping." He paused to let his words sink in. Everyone there looked to the floor. Behind them Sakura spoke up, "I'll do it."

Tsunade looked her apprentice straight in the eye. "No you won't. You have probably caused him more torment than anyone else his age. You will leave him alone, my girl. And what are the two of you doing out of your beds?"

"But Shishou, Naruto likes me the most of all of us. He'll know I'm only trying to help him and he wouldn't ever do anything to hurt me."

Behind her Sasuke snorted. "Sakura, he can't stand you. He thinks you're an empty-headed abusive screech-owl," he said. To Tsunade, "We woke up and heard you all talking out here so we came to join the conversation before you do something stupid."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Sasuke," said Kakashi.

"Just leave him alone Sensei," said Sasuke. "Just as he can't stand her he doesn't much like you either."

Tsunade and Jiraiya both studied the young man standing before them. Tsunade asked, "How do you know who he likes and who he doesn't? He's always seemed to be head over heels for Sakura and to really like and respect both Jiraiya and Kakashi yet you say he doesn't feel that way at all. How do you know?"

"You can see it in his eyes if you're looking at the right time. I know he like Hinata and Gaara and you, Hokage-sama but as for everyone else his feelings aren't what you think. Oh and he really likes Iruka."

"That's all? After everything I've done for him, you say he really doesn't like me," Jiraiya sounded hurt and Sakura was looking crushed. Kakashi was sitting on the floor deep in thought.

Sasuke snorted again. "Let's talk about that shall we Pervert, from his point of view. Let's see. First you drag him away from everyone he knows and has a connection to go traveling around the world for a reason you won't tell him because you think he's too stupid to understand. You promise to teach him new jutsu's but you only show him what you want to and leave him to figure out how to actually do it on his own. You take his money and spend it on yourself and mostly seem to forget all about him for days on end. You know the two of you were gone for five years during which you could have forced a change in his wardrobe but you didn't. You let him continue to wear clothes you know are inappropriate for a ninja. I have to wonder why. And if I am wondering you can bet he is also. And let's not forget how you taught him the summoning jutsu. Would you like to tell everyone or shall I?" Sasuke kept his eye on the Sannin who was now squirming trying to come up with a reasonable answer to the charges Sasuke had leveled against him.

"Well, hehe I guess maybe I could have explained things better to the Gaki but at the time . . ."

"What did you do to him when you taught him the summons Jiraiya?" Tsunade pushed her sleeves up and cracked her knuckles.

"Well, ummm Nothing bad Tsunade I swear," He stammered.

Sasuke snorted. "Oh really? First you made him do jutsu after jutsu until his normal chakra was exhausted and then you showed him the contract and signs, had him sign it and then you THREW HIM OFF A CLIFF!"

Tsunade threw her fist into Jiraiya's face at the same time as Sakura planted her fist on the top of his head. The two women continued to pound on him shouting obsentities with each fist and foot. When Tsunade finally pulled herself and Sakura away from him a nurse and doctor approached and picked the injured Sannin up none too gently. After Jiraiya was wheeled away Kakashi asked Sasuke, "How do you know so much about him? Surely you can't see something in his eyes when you aren't even there?"

"We talk. I don't judge him like you do. One thing that stupid snake made me realize is that people are rarely who we think they are. I'll admit that I thought he was stupid when we were in the academy but it wasn't long after we graduated that I started seeing inconsistanties in him. His prowless in battle doesn't add up with the stupid Dobe he presents out of battle. It is not possible to be a Dobe everywhere but in a battle and noone who can take down a Hyuuga in battle can be a true Dobe. He had to be smarter than I gave him credit for. So I started watching him. Carefully. I saw that when neither you or Sakura thought he was paying attention both of you looked like you didn't even know he was there. He saw it too and I'd see his scorn for both of you on his face for a second before he'd cover it up." He paused to gather his thoughts. "When Orochimaru talked to me about understanding people being half the battle, it occurred to me that Naruto does understand people. He just acts the baffoon because it helps to keep people from understanding him and by not understanding him he always has the advantage in battle. He's unpredictable only because no one knows him like they think they do." He turned towards the Hospital doors. "Now I am going home but for your own sake leave him alone Kakashi."He walked out of the building and started down the street to his estate.

The assembled Jonin's looked at their comrade in sympathy. None of them had ever been told off by one of their genin before and from his reaction it was clear the words were true. They didn't know what to say to ease the situation or help him to guide his team into becoming better ninjas. This was truly uncharted territory for all of them and so silence reigned over the hospital waiting room.

Outside Sasuke was joined by his blonde-haired teammate. They walked in a companionable silence for a few blocks before Naruto said, "I think you were a little hard on them. None of them did anything except be themselves you know."

"I'm tired of it. They all think they're better than you and they aren't. You could beat any of them hands down without breaking a sweat in most cases."

Naruto laughed. "Well, maybe not without sweating but yeah there aren't many of them that would give me a true workout but they really don't need to know that do they?"

"What are you gonna do about your apartment? You need to have a place to stay, you know."

"I'm sure Tsunade will find me a new apartment but I won't stay there. I'll stay in the cave behind the waterfall at the clearing we were at earlier. Since only you and Hinata know of it I'll be safe there. Safer than I'll ever be in an apartment building or anywhere else in this village."

"What about food and clothes though?"

"Sasuke there is fresh water in front of that cave and fresh water draws the animals. I can hunt and fish for food and the pool will not only give me a place to bathe but also a place to clean my clothes. The cave will provide me with shelter and since it has a natural airway I can build a fire for warmth. I'll be fine there. I've stayed there many times in the past and never had a problem. Trust me."

Sasuke just looked at him for a minute before he nodded. He wasn't surprised when a couple of seconds later he was walking alone on the street.

Naruto really didn't want to show up at the hospital since that's where Hinata had told him everyone was gathered so he went to Tsunade's office. He might have to wait for a bit for her to show up since Hinata said she was at the hospital but he didn't mind waiting for her. He teleported into her office and made himself comfortable on the couch. He had been there about ten minutes before the first of the Anbu showed up. The Anbu said nothing after seeing him and poofed out to show back up a few minutes later with Tsunade and Shizune.

"Where have you been Brat? Don't you know how worried I've been about you?" Tsunade said throwing her arms around Naruto who had stood up when they popped into the office.

"I'm fine Baa-chan. I always take off before sun-rise any time I have to be in town on this day. I wasn't even there though now I guess I will need a new place to live and that's something you're going to have to arrange."

"Well, yeah you will but it shouldn't be too hard for you to find a place. You're one of the best known shinobi the Hidden Leaf has to offer."

"You know it won't be that easy, Oba-chan," Naruto laughed. "No one will volunteer to become my landlord or I'd have moved years ago. No, I'm afraid that making sure I have a place to live has always been the job of the Hokage."

"Hmm Well it'll take a little time to arrange it. Where can you stay in the mean-time?"

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. I'll stop by again in a couple of days to pick up my keys and the address of the new place. Ok?" He gave Tsunade another hug before he teleported away.

**Author Notes: **I have to give some (minor) credit to my son, Two-Tails, for doing the Beta reading of my stories.


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